core sector communique

DEPUTY CHIEF OF THE ARMY STAFF LEADS FROM THE FRONT BY DOING A FREEFALL FROM 10000 FEET AT ARMY SKYDIVING CAMP ON 07 MARCH 2012

New Delhi : Phalguna 24,1933

Wednesday, Mar 14, 2012

Deputy Chief of the Army Staff, Lt Gen Ramesh Halgali, AVSM, SM while visiting the Army Adventure Skydiving Camp at Misamari, Assam on 07 Feb 2012, chose to motivate the students and other Army Personnel by performing the Skydive himself. He was trained by the members of Army Skydiving Team before this landmark event. He has acquired the unique distinction of becoming a free faller in the shortest period of time. The Army Instructors confirmed that fresh students need two to three days of intensive training to understand the intricacies of this extreme adventure sport. The General was very quick to grasp all drills and undertook his first Accelerated Freefall jump in less then 4 Hours of training. It is also for the first time that a Lieutenant General Officer volunteered and undertook the first Freefall Jump in Skydiving. This event clearly brings out the level of expertise available, and the trust reposed by senior officers in their instructors. This will serve as a motivating factor for many others in uniform.

Lt Col Satyendra Verma is the Chief Instructor for Skydiving in Army Adventure Wing. He has more then 1500 Jumps made in India and abroad. He is presently training the Skydivers of the Army Adventure Wing.

In sync with the Army’s finest traditions for adventure and thrill, the Army Adventure Wing, which is a part of the Directorate General Military Training, had organised the Skydiving camp for the Army Skydivers by the Army Adventure Nodal Centre (Skydiving) at Misamari, Assam. The camp organised from 23 Feb to 07 Mar 2012 included Officers and Other Ranks of the Indian Army. During the camp fresh students were trained in the Accelerated Free Fall method.

During the camp, experienced skydivers and combat free fallers carried out specialised training such as High Altitude High Opening (HAHO) jumps and combat free fall jumps in a tactical backdrop during inclement weather conditions. This allowed intensive validation of training and equipment. HAHO jumps are used by Special Forces trained in Combat free fall to carry out silent insertion deep into enemy territory with their battle loads.

True to the traditions of encouraging and nurturing the Adventure spirit, Indian Army organises many adventure sports with a dual aim of quenching the adventurous spirit of Army Personnel and also to lay the foundation for its operational role in battle.